All or nothing. The NHL regular season is now in the rearview mirror for the Edmonton Oilers, and it is now time for them to lock in, dial in and prepare themselves for the battle that awaits. On Monday night, it is a matchup against two top Pacific Division rivals, in the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.
A season that was filled with many highs and many lows, sickness and injuries alike, the Oilers as a team have to put last year’s and this seasons results behind them. All that matters now, is the biggest players on the team, stepping up and motivating their teammates to be the best version on themselves.
What I can say with confidence and meaning, is that this first round matchup is not going to be easy, and it could swing in either direction. We all know by now how Edmonton has played against the Kings in the post-season over the last three years, and on today’s edition of the Sunday Census, we asked the fans how many games it could take each team to win and how long this monster series could last.
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Edmonton Oilers win in four or five games
With how the Edmonton Oilers played against the Kings in last year’s 2024 playoffs, it’s not surprising that 16.9% of the voters are expecting the Oilers to continue their winning ways. This time around, the voters were saying that Edmonton could win the series even quicker, or will keep things the same.
Why the Oilers may be able to make quick work of the Kings again this year, is because they will have two things at their disposal: a hot Connor McDavid and a very well rested Leon Draisaitl. Draisaitl and McDavid last year, combined for six goals and 16 assists through the five game series. We could definitely see this dominance again, and maybe again at another level.
Oilers win in six or seven
With what we have seen with Edmonton and their team this season, is probably what propelled 62.3% of the voters to put this at the top of the poll. This series with Edmonton will most likely go the distance, and will push both groups to their limits.
Why this series is way more likely to go the distance, is because they were riddled with a lot as a team in the regular season. Unfortunately, the Edmonton Oilers won’t have their number one defenceman playing with them in this first round. Mattias Ekholm is a very big piece for the Oilers first line power play and Penalty kill and managed 42 hits and had 22:12 of ATOI per game.
L.A. Kings win in four or five
We could see a complete switch in domination for the L.A. Kings, and according to our pole only 3.9% of the voters are expecting this. This series could motivate the Kings to succeed, and home ice advantage is the boost that they were missing.
Why this series could end up finishing quicker than expected, is because of who the Kings have picked up this season and what their newest goalies have brought for them. Kuemper has powered the Kings to victory, posting a 31–11–7 record and five shutouts. That gave Kuemper a GAA of 2.02, with a .922 SV%. David Rittich helped the Kings where he could, and ended up 16–14–2 in 34 games played.
Kings win in six or seven
The final way that this series could play out, is by L.A. slowly chipping away at the Oilers, game after game, and pulling the heart breaker to win in the final stages of the matchup. Like Edmonton winning the series in four or five, 16.9% of voters believe that the Kings will win and win late.
Why this series could go the distance in favour of the Kings, is because of the depth of their lineup and what they have been able to accomplish this season. L.A. currently has 14 players with 20+ points, 10 with 30+ points, eight with 40+ points and finally, four players with 50 or more. Team depth means the world in the post season, and if the Kings players step up and use that to their advantage, the Oilers could be in a lot of trouble.
If you did not get a chance to vote in the poll, what are your predictions for the round one series? Let us know in the comments below!
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